Self-tying insulator.



S. L. YOUMANS & J. A. McLAUGHLlN. SELF TYING msumon.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29. M5.

1 ,1 88,599. Patented J 11116 27, 1916.

f 7 Vw Momma THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SALEM L. YOUMANS AND JAMES A. MoLAUGI-ILIN, OF J ESUP, GEORGIA.

SELF-TYING INSULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 29, 1915. Serial No. 42,599.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, SALEM L. You- MANS and JAMns A. MoLAUonLiN, citizens of the United States, residing at J esup, in the county of WVayne and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Tying Insulators; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in insulators or brackets for supporting electric wires and more particularly to what may be termed self-tying or self-locking devices of this character.

The object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed and efficient device of this character so constructed that the wire to be stretched or hung when thrown upon the insulator, will. drop by gravity into the recess or seat therein, and the forward movement thereof will operate to raise and cause av locking member to straddle the wire, and the movement of the wire in the opposite direction will cause this locking member to securely engage and automatically lock the wire to the insulator.

Vith this and other objects in view, the

invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a front elevation partly in section of this improved insulator bracket applied; Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment illustrated an attaching plate 1 is shown which may be of any suitable or desired configuration, being here shown rectangular and provided at its opposite ends with openings 2 to receive the fastening bolts or screws which connect it to the post or other support, washers 3 of rubber being preferably arranged on the outer and inner faces of said plate 1 between it and the securing bolts. This plate 1 is constructed of any suitable insulating material, preferably glass, and projecting from one face thereof is a wire receiving and supporting bracket 4 which is preferably cast integral with the plate 1. This receiving member has a V-shaped seat 5 formed therein with the groove 6 at the vertex thereof tapering from the front toward the rear of the seat. A hood 7 is arranged over this V- shaped seat '5, being cast integral with the body of the seat which is secured to the plate 1, and said hood extends laterally from said plate and terminates at its free end in a plane spaced inwardly from the free end of the arm or wall 8 disposed at the outer side of the seat 5 so that said arm projects beyond the hood and is designed to form a guide for the wire to be inserted in the seat in a manner to be described. The upper face 9 of this hood 7 is inclined downwardly from the base 1 toward the free end of the hood so that when a wire to be strung is thrown onto the insulator it will be slipped by gravity off said hood into the seat 5, being directed therein by the inclined inner face of the arm 8 of the seat. This bracket 4 has one side face thereof cut out as shown at 10 in which a locking member 11 is designed to be housed when in operative position, said locking member being here shown in the form of a U-shaped wire, the free ends of the arms 12 of which are bent laterally outward in planes at right angles to form supporting hooks which are designed to be detachably inserted in sockets 18 formed in the opposite side walls of the recess 10 at the upper end thereof, this portion of the recess being here shown in one side of the hood 7 which overhangs the seat 5. This U-shaped locking member is of a length sufficient to extend from the hood 7 to a point below the vertex of the seat 5, and the cross bar 14 of said member is provided with an inwardly extending loop 15 which is arranged opposite the vertex of the Vshaped seat and is designed to co operate therewith for looking a wire in the seat, the vertex of the seat 5 and the inner end of the loop 15 forming cooperating clamping jaws between which the wire is gripped when the member 11 is swung inwardly against the face of the recess 10 in the body of the seat 4, the wire receiving opening between said loop and seat vertex being slightly smaller than the wire to be clamped between them, so that a firm gripping action will be exerted on the wire for holding it securely in its seat. The groove 6 formedat the vertex of the seat 5 tapers from the front to the rear thereof to facili tate its reception and locking action on the wire to be supported thereby, the front being higher as shown at 5 than the rear portion 5" to provide a gripping action on the wire at the front of the groove between it and the loop 1 5.

In the use of this improved insulator, the plate 1 issccured to the support on which it is to be mounted by the bolts which pass throi'igh the openings 2 therein with the recessed face of the seat body f disposed toward what will be termed the front, so that the locking element 11 will be adapted to swing forwardly into open position and rearwardly into closed position, being limited in its closed position by its engagement with the inner wall or face of the recess l0 and which is held against lateral movement in'said recess by the side walls thereof.

A wire to be supported by this insulator when thrown onto the insulator will slide off the inclined upper face of the guard or hood 7 and drop into the seat 5, being directed downwardly by the inclined face of theouter arm 8, and the forward movement of said wire will cause the locking element 11 to swing outwardly, and when the wire is seated in the groove 6 in the vertex of the V-sh'a-ped seat, said locking member will drop back into the recess 10 with the loop 15 thereof straddl'ingthe wire, and when the wire is drawn to move toward the rear this loop 15 will in connection with the 'alls of 'the'grooveb at the vertex of the seat 5, produce a clamping action on the wire and securely 'lock it to the insulator to provide for its being securely held during the stretchi'ng thereof, as it is desired that it should be arranged taut between the insulators on the varioussupports,

While a right hand bracket is shown, it is to be understood that they are to be made right and left to adapt them for use on opposite sides "of the support.

A plurality of Ushaped locking members 11 are designed to be provided for interchangeable connection with each insulator, each member having a loop 15 of different size to adapt them for use in connection with toward said above mentioned scat wires of different numbers or sizes. Each of these locking members is preferably numbered to indi ate the number of the wire in connection with which it is designed to be used so that a glance will determine the locking member needed.

\Ve claim as our invention:

1. An insulator comprising a base plate, a wire support extending laterally therefrom and having a V-shaped seat therein, a guard arranged above said seat and having means for directing a wire into said seat, a locking element pivotally mounted on said guard and arranged at one side of said seat, said locking element having a loop extending in a direction opposite to the vertex of said seat and adapted to cooperate therewith for clamping a wire between them.

in insulator for electric wires comprising a body portion having a V-shapcd seat therein, a hood or guard mounted over said seat and having one end positioned in a plane spaced inwardly from the plane of the upper end of one wall of said seat, said hood having its upper face inclined downwardly all to direct a wire thereon into said seat, and a locking member pivoted on said hood at one side thereof and mounted to swing in the same direction as the longitudinal axis of said seat, said locking member having an element for cooperating with the vertex of said'seat to lock a wire between them.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base plate, a wire receiving seat "extending therethrough and having a groove tapering from one end to the other and a U-shaped locking element mounted to swing at its free ends on said seat with the crossbar thereof provided withan inwardly extending loop positioned to cooperate with the groove in said seat for locking a wire between them.

An article of the class described comprising a wire receiving socket having a groove atthe bottom thereof, the walls of which taper from one end to the other, the narrower end being disposed in a plane above the other, and means cooperating with said narrower end of said groove to clamp a wire between them.

in article of the class described comprising a wire receiving socket having a groove at the bottom thereof, the walls of which ta per from one end to the other, the narrower end be1n'gd1sposed in a plane above the other, and a clamping member movable toward and a 'ay from said narrower groove end for clamping and releasing a wire.

(3. In an article of the class'described, the combination of a base plate, a bracket extending laterally therefrom and opening outwardly, said bracket having a wire receiving groove therein, one Wall of said In testimony whereof We have hereunto bracket having 1ts outer face recessed to set our hands 1n presence of two subscribing 10 form a seat, a swinging clamp member witnesses.

mounted to seat in said recessed bracket face SALEM L. YOUMANS. when in clamping position, said clamping JAMES A. MOLAUGHLIN. member having a loop registering with said \Vitnesses:

groove to receive and clamp a Wire between ERNEST F. FLEMING,

them. REMBERT J oIINs.

copies 01 um patent may be chained [or an cents each, by addressing the Oommlnioner at luau,

Wuhllgton, D. c 

